


Forever in a Dream

by Antares



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Cabin Fic, Community: jd_ficathon, Episode Related, Episode: s03e10 Forever in a Day, Kissing, M/M, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-19 17:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11902821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antares/pseuds/Antares
Summary: Daniel had worked day and night since they had come back from Sha’re’s burial on Abydos





	Forever in a Dream

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xochiquetzl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xochiquetzl/gifts).



> Many, many thanks to Cimmie for her quick and wonderful beta! Thank you! 
> 
> Prompts:  
> Requirement (#1): Daniel coping with Sha're's death; pre-slash or respectful-of-Sha're first time.  
> Requirement (#2): Period-appropriate discretion about their relationship.  
> Optional Request: Jack's cabin in Minnesota

Friday evening, 11 p.m. Jack poked his head around the door of Daniel's office and – yep, there he was, still working. Daniel's whole desk was covered by books, with some artifacts strewn in, and Jack once again wondered how Daniel could find anything in this oriental bazaar. Daniel was so absorbed in what he was reading that he hadn't noticed Jack yet. So, Jack observed his friend attentively. He was looking rather good, considering his wife had died only nine days ago, and had been buried six days ago. He looked tired but that was to be expected. Since they had come back from the burial on Abydos, he'd been doing twenty-hour days and skipping sleep because he was suddenly totally obsessed with finding Keeb. 

Jack sighed inwardly. Daniel always found the most difficult tasks for himself. First looking for a wife who could have been anywhere in the galaxy, and who they had only found because she had wanted to be found. And now his newest idea was not only to search for the Harsesis, the most wanted – and therefore best hidden – child in the whole universe, but also for Keeb, a mythological place like Atlantis on Earth. Jack didn't know why the archaeologist always pursued nearly impossible goals. 

He must have made a noise because Daniel looked up. “Jack.” 

“Hi, Daniel. Shouldn't you've started your weekend by now?” 

“But I have.” Daniel scribbled something on a paper then put the pencil away. 

“Yeah? And what are you doing here then?” 

“Working without being disturbed.” He looked pointedly at Jack. “Until now at least.” 

“Working, shmerking.” Jack singsonged and took one of the books. He tried to read its title but he couldn't even tell which language it was. “Hey, you know, even you should take a pause once in a while. And that's where I come in.” He grinned at Daniel. “I'm here to make sure you do.” Jack had spoken to Hammond, and the General had wholeheartedly agreed to his plan. 

“Really?” Daniel's eyebrows climbed higher, and he gave Jack a doubtful look. 

“Yep. You've got exactly,” he looked at his watch, “Nine hours and fifteen minutes before I collect you at your door. You and I,” he wiggled his index between Daniel and himself, “are going to my cabin in Minnesota.” 

“But our next mission... !” 

“Is in five days. The perfect time for a vacation. Long enough so it's worth unpacking, and short enough so we don't grate on each other nerves.” That wasn’t exactly right. With Daniel he could spend more than five days in a row, and already had on some planets with a malfunctioning stargate. And he didn't mention that Hammond had signalled to postpone the next mission if Dr. Jackson needed it. But Jack didn't want to spook Daniel so he kept silent. 

Daniel must be really exhausted, physically and-or emotionally because to Jack's utter astonishment he said, “Five days away from everything? That... that sounds like a not so unpleasant idea.” 

Jack swallowed his flippant reply. He had prepared himself for more resistance but was glad not to look a gift horse in the mouth. He’d save his energy for the inevitable fights in the future. “Okay. It's set then. You pack whatever you need – and don't forget some warm clothes because even in July it can be cold up there. Especially during the nights, or when it's raining. We take a flight to Minneapolis then rent a car. On our way to the cabin we stop at a supermarket and stock up on what we'll need during our stay.” 

“Sounds like a plan,” Daniel said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. 

In that moment Jack saw that they were red. From crying or from working too long on texts that were difficult to decipher, he didn't know. But he was determined to find out during their trip.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Daniel fell asleep within five minutes of take off, and even later, on the drive to the cabin he had difficulties keeping his eyes open. Obviously, he had lost the battle with Morpheus, because the next thing he heard was Jack swearing loudly about some incapable dumbass who surely found his driver's licence at the bottom of a cereal box.

Daniel opened his eyes and saw that they were leaving a supermarket parking lot. “Oh. I'm sorry. You already did our shopping? You should've woken me.” 

“Nah. I'm quite capable of buying fruit loops, peanut butter and beer on my own,” Jack replied with a hand wave. “You're awake now?” 

“Yes.” Daniel stretched his arms, rolled his shoulders and stifled a last yawn. He was glad Jack had dragged him away from his work. In hindsight, and with some hours of well needed sleep, he had to admit that he hadn't achieved much during the last two, three days. He had been too fixated onto finding a clue to the whereabouts of Keeb. He had thought he could do without any sleep, because this had worked perfectly for him during his studies. But obviously he wasn't eighteen anymore. He needed...

“And coffee? What about coffee?” His friend hadn't mentioned the most important basic food.

“The finest they had,” Jack assured him and pointed his thumb to the backseat where three brown paper bags were sitting. 

“Good.” Daniel smiled. “How long to the cabin?” 

“Twenty minutes, then we're there.” 

Daniel was already very curious to finally see the cabin. Jack had bragged about the fresh air, the wild nature, and the immense fish in his pond. Daniel knew that Jack had spent lots of summers there with his family, and he felt privileged to be invited. Jack could've simply booked two hotel rooms for them, but no, he was taking him – once again – into his home. 

A few miles after leaving the supermarket, Jack turned off the main road and continued driving on increasingly smaller roads. The surrounding forest got denser and denser, and Daniel thought that this would be a great place to film a horror movie. 

Jack finally stopped next to a dark, small block house. In the first moment Daniel was a bit disappointed. In Jack's tales, it had sounded bigger and… more colorful. But Jack ushered him from the car, went around the house – and there was a sunny meadow with lots of flowers, leading down to a small lake. There was also the wooden pier Jack had mentioned in his tales about the monster fish. This side of the house looked friendly, summery and peaceful, and suddenly Daniel knew that he could be happy here. 

He turned to Jack. “This looks great! Is it possible to swim in the lake?” 

“Of course. I hope you brought your red Baywatch bikini,” Jack teased. 

“No skinny dipping?” Daniel couldn't help asking. 

“Be my guest.” Jack grinned broadly. 

“I think I'll test the temperature first.” Daniel went to the pier, kneeled and let one hand dangle into the water. Well, the water wasn't exactly fed by a thermal spring that was for sure. But perhaps after a long walk, when he was sweaty, he could muster the will to have a short swim in the lake. He got up and helped Jack carry the duffle bags and provisions into the house. 

Inside it smelled a bit dusty, but Jack was already opening the windows and airing the rooms out. The sun was filtering through the windows and the open door, and Daniel saw a lovely rustic living room with a large sofa in front of a fire place, a table with four chairs and an open kitchen that was detached from the living room by some waist high cupboards. Daniel liked what he saw, this really felt like a vacation. 

Jack crossed the kitchen, opened a door, and they entered a bedroom with a large dresser, two chairs and a king size bed; another door opened to an en suite bathroom. “There's only one bedroom. You can bunk with me, on the sofa in the living room, or we can check out the attic. We used to sleep up there as kids, but I'm betting you're too big to be comfortable.” Jack was already trying to open the ceiling hatch hiding the ladder to the attic. 

Daniel put a hand on his arm. “If you promise not to snore louder than on missions, I'll sleep here with you. The mattress looks way more comfortable than the sofa.” He didn't mind sharing a bed with Jack, and it was much preferable to a sofa where his feet would dangle over the edge. 

“Okay, fine. Like always on missions you have the right side, I'll take the left.” Jack dropped his jacket on 'his' side of the bed. 

Daniel wondered if with those words, Jack had it made clear that this trip was some sort of mission. And its goal was to make the archaeologist sleep again and keep him from working? Did Jack have orders to find out where his obsession with Keeb came from? Well, he sure as Hell wouldn't tell him that Sha're had sent him on this quest. He remembered too vividly the last time he had talked about seeing dead people – he had ended up in McKenzie's padded cell, and that was an experience he wasn't prepared to repeat. 

Or did Jack feel the need to discuss the events of Sha're’s death, and the subsequent tension between Teal'c and him? Didn't he believe that they were on respectful and friendly terms again? Daniel threw Jack small glances, but Jack was too busy opening more windows to pay attention to him. 

Whatever Jack's plans were, he didn't start right away. First, they unpacked their duffle bags, put their clothes away, and stored the groceries in the fridge. They had a quick coffee with some chocolate cookies, and went on a hike. Jack showed him his favourite place for fishing, the shallow pebbled beach where he had learned swimming, the clearing where he went when he wanted to see deer, and a tree-house in ruins where all the O'Neill children had played when they had spent the summer there. Daniel didn't dare to ask about Charlie, and Jack didn't mention him but kept talking about his own childhood.

After two hours they were back, and Jack started the barbecue. They ate and watched the sunset from the porch. It was very calm and relaxing, and Daniel felt the tension of the last days leave his body. Shortly afterwards they had to go inside because the mosquitoes got more and more bloodthirsty. Daniel couldn't believe it when he started yawning again – he had slept three hours on the plane and the same time in the car! – but Jack only laughed and sent him to bed. Daniel thought about protesting but then decided not to start a quarrel with Jack when his brain was already half asleep, and so he went with only a token protest.

\--------------------------------------------------------

The next morning Jack woke before Daniel. Stealthily, he went first to the bathroom, then to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He'd never bought a coffee maker for the cabin, and therefore he had to brew the coffee in the old-fashioned way with a filter and manually pouring the hot water, like his mother had done. After a moment, the smell of the freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen, and Jack inhaled deeply. Of course, it wasn’t very logical to not have a coffee maker, given the fact that he had other technical knickknack in the cabin like a refridgerator and a stereo. Daniel would laugh learning tha... or not. Perhaps, Daniel was the only person who could understand that some things had to remain the same for nostalgic reasons.

This brought him to Daniel. They guy was even more emotionally constipated than Jack had feared. Jack had deliberately shown him some places of his childhood, had tried to establish a bridge between the present and the past, and had hoped that Daniel would stop being polite and start talking. But no, not even when he had shown him the tree house, and had hinted at 'all the O'Neill children', had Daniel dared to ask about Charlie. And Jack had thought that his approach was super clever! From Charlie it would have been easy to lead over to Sha're – but so far Daniel hadn't even mentioned her name. 

Hammond and him, they had talked about Daniel and his calm reaction to his wife's death, and they both had decided that this whole bottling up of feelings couldn't be good for Daniel. As none of them wanted him back in the clutches of a psycho-plumber like McKenzie, Hammond had proposed this vacation. If Daniel would open up to someone it would be Jack. Jack sighed. So far, he had failed miserably; he hoped that he would be more successful today. Janet had told him that he could try the 'building/cooking/doing something together' approach, and Jack had decided that his front door needed new paint. 

“Morning, Jack.” Daniel shuffled into the kitchen, belatedly remembering to put a hand in front of his mouth while he was yawning. 

“Morning, dormouse.” Jack ruffled Daniel's hair and gave him a coffee mug which said, 'Please wait. Sarcasm still loading'. 

Seeing the mug, Daniel grinned. “Who gave you this?” 

“My mother. For Christmas. It must be fifteen, twenty years now. I remember it was the year she started yoga classes, and I may have said some blasphemous things when she showed me the 'dolphin pose' or the 'downward-facing dog'.” 

Daniel chuckled. “I like your mother's humor.” He took another sip. “Did you often spend Christmas here?” 

“Yep. Every year. But it's not for the faint hearted. You have to love temperatures below freezing and lots of snow. Desert dwellers could feel a bit uncomfortable.” Jack looked pointedly at Daniel. 'Come on, say something, talk about Abydos' but Daniel didn't seem to notice his scrutinizing look. 

He asked instead, “What's the plan for today?” 

“There isn't really a plan,” Jack replied, not totally true. “But if it stays dry we could paint the entrance door.” 

“Okay. Do you have everything we need, or do we have to go to a home depot before we start?” 

“No, we're fine. Do you know how to grind off a door?” 

“I'm an archaeologist; I know how to get old paint from things.” Daniel laughed. 

“Perfect!” 

Fifty minutes later as they worked on the door, Daniel talked about archaeology but not about Abydos. Jack waiting the whole time for Daniel to make the leap from the digs in Egypt to reconstructional archaeology, and the immense sandbox Abydos had presented, but it never came. In the end, he knew more than he ever wanted to know about prehistoric agriculture, and the balsa raft built by Thor Heyerdal, but nothing new about Sha're's homeworld. Janet was right – working together made Daniel talkative, but he chose the subject and it was very difficult to steer him into another direction. 

Of course, the painting job took longer than anticipated, and they only finished around three o'clock. They were both hungry, and Daniel offered to prepare a salad while Jack put away the tools. 

“Can you make some of those Abydonian flat bread thingies you made for Sam's birthday?” Jack asked. 

Daniel shot him an odd look over the rim of his glasses, and Jack cringed inwardly. Okay, he definitively could work on his subtlety. 

“As long as I don't have to mill the flour for the _chabaz_ ,” Daniel finally answered with a lopsided grin. 

“No, no milling. The flour is on the upper left shelf, in a blue tin box,” Jack assured him. “What else do you need?”

“Only salt, oil and water.” 

“Salt and oil are in the drawer under the oven. I'll come and help you in a few minutes.”

\------------------------------------------------

Daniel poured the flour into a bowl. On Abydos, he had only been allowed to help Sha're with the cooking when no one was around to witness it. She was very afraid to let anyone know that her husband was even stranger than everybody already suspected. Of course, they all treated him with the utmost respect because he was the one that had defied the false gods, and ended their slavery, but that didn't mean that they weren't talking behind his – and Sha're's – back.

And it got worse when Sha're still wasn't pregnant after a few months. The men were teasing him rather good-naturedly, offering laughing and gross advice what to do better next time. But Sha're had admitted that behind the concern of the women was a lot more malice because it had taken Kasuf so long to find a husband for her. And when he finally did, and gave her to the young hero from another world, there had been a lot of envy. So the solace they offered, when once again she had to wash the bloody bandages, was full of false sympathy. 

Of course, he hadn't wanted to add to her distress, but he kept asking about everything, from preparing meals to weaving, from smoking meat to refining the oil they used in the lamps. He had wanted to learn all the traditional ways he only knew from history books. It had taken him a long time to recognize that he didn't simplify Sha're's life with his curiosity. But especially in the first months he had been so fascinated with everything that the next question had left his mouth before he had really thought about it. 

Making the traditional Abydonian _chabaz_ had been one of the first things she had taught him because he had needled her, and in the end she had given in. It had taken him more than a year after his return to Earth to prepare the flat bread once again for a barbecue in Sam's garden, and after that the team often asked him to bring it, because they all liked it. But Daniel was sure that behind Jack's wish today was more than a simple culinary reason. The way he kept alluding to the past, he obviously expected him to talk about Sha're.

“Hey, you okay?” Jack interrupted his daydreaming and put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Yes, why?” 

“Because you haven't started.” 

Daniel noted that his hands were white with flour but he hadn't added anything yet. “Oh.” 

“Let me help you?” Jack's warm hand glided down from his shoulder, until it rested in the small of his back. 

That felt very nice and it distracted Daniel in a good way. He was very aware of Jack's proximity, and for a second he was tempted to simply lean back, feel the embrace of his best friend, and close his eyes. Before he could do that, Daniel cleared his throat, waved with his floury hand in the direction of the refridgerator and asked, “Can you start with the salad?” 

“Sure.” Jack patted him on his shoulder blades and took two steps to the left. Daniel immediately missed the personal contact, and he remembered that the Jack from his vision had taken him in his arms for some wonderful moments. He suddenly really longed for someone – preferably Jack – to let him feel that warmth again. 

Instead they worked side by side, Jack preparing the salad, him making the _chabaz_. Half an hour later they took the food outside, Jack fetched two bottles of beer and they had a late lunch - or an early dinner. After another cup of coffee, they dragged two deckchairs to the pier and changed into their swimming trunks. 

They sat in the hot July sun and Jack started a crossword puzzle. Daniel continued reading one of the books he had brought with him. But after a while he let himself get distracted by two blue dragonflies that were dancing over the water. They reminded him of the small _jashub_ he had often observed around the wells on Abydos. 

Abydos - he wondered when Jack would breach the subject that was hanging heavily over them. Then he frowned. Why was he waiting for Jack? Since when he had started to be such a coward? If he wanted the air to be cleared, he could simply start explaining. Not everything, not the strange pictures Sha're had sent him, but he could start talking about how he was feeling, and assure Jack that he was fine. But first he would cool down a bit and have a swim in the lake. 

“First one in the water gets to choose if we play chess or rummy tonight,” he said and jumped from his deckchair. He sat down at the edge of the pier, put his feet in the water and, damn, the water was cold! 

Jack joined him and sat beside him. “Too cold for you?” he teased and splashed with his feet. 

“No,” he lied. “I'm only getting accustomed to it. No need to risk a circulatory collapse.”

“It isn't that cold!” Jack protested laughingly, and in the next moment he disappeared in the water, came up again, grabbed Daniel's leg and asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “Should I help you?” 

“No, no. Thank you. I...” 

Jack tugged on his legs, Daniel landed in the water, and before he could swallow too much water, Jack pulled him up again and held him in his arms. “See, not that cold, right?” 

“You're an inconsiderate idiot,” Daniel chided. But even to his own ears it didn't sound too upset, because Jack was still holding him close and he liked that feeling.

Jack laughed and kissed him on the cheek. “Liar,” he said. Then he let go of Daniel, let himself sink under water and started swimming. With a few powerful strokes he swam to the other side of the lake, and returned to where Daniel was still standing. 

“Come on. You'll get warmer once you move.” 

Daniel started swimming, thankful for somebody telling him what to do, because his brain seemed rather unproductive at the moment. Jack had kissed him! A very brotherly kiss, yes, but nonetheless he'd had Jack's lips on his cheek. Daniel wanted to rub that special place, but he continued swimming. And thinking. And inwardly bubbling with joy. Then he tried to reign in his enthusiasm, because a peck on a cheek between friends could mean anything from a shared moment of... of cold water, to a momentary lapse in judgement, to a way of showing him that he cared about him. 

After a few minutes Daniel felt his fingers going numb and he decided to leave the water. When he crawled back on the pier Jack was waiting with a large towel for him. Daniel wanted to grab the towel, but Jack wrapped him in the towel and rubbed his arms. 

“One more minute and I'd have saved you. For someone who thinks the water’s too cold, twelve minutes are a new record. Come, sit a bit in the sun, to get you warm again.” Jack tugged on his arm and he followed to Jack's towel that was spread on the planks of the pier. 

Daniel sat down shivering and with clicking teeth. “Twelve minutes?” To him it had seemed more like three or four minutes. 

“Yep. That's really good. It qualifies for a winter holiday in the cabin.” Jack was kneeling behind Daniel and rubbing his back. 

Daniel gradually felt the return of warmth to his skin, very aware of where Jack's hands were every moment. “B...but I d...don't have t...to cut a h...hole in the ice, d...do I?” He stuttered when he new shiver ran through his body. 

“No ice cutting,” Jack assured him. “Damn, my knees are killing me,” he added, sat down on his butt and spread his legs left and right of Daniel's body. 

Daniel leaned back into Jack’s arms. “Good.” Then he closed his eyes and let the sun and Jack warm him up. It felt so wonderful and peaceful, and Daniel wished this closeness wasn't only because he was cold and shivering. He would very much like to feel so content more often.

\--------------------------------------------

Jack kept stroking Daniel’s arms, and wondered if this new level of intimacy had a deeper meaning, or if Daniel was simply soaking up all the warmth he could get. After his spontaneous kiss to Daniel's cheek, he had panicked for a moment. Pretending to be totally absorbed by swimming had seemed like a good idea. And when Daniel did the same, he was confident that they could forget about the kiss and continue as before. Which was the second-best solution, it was still too early for the best solution. Jack was convinced that Daniel still needed time.

They sat for a few minutes in this quasi-embrace, and just when Jack wanted to complain that his butt was going numb and he needed to move, Daniel started speaking. 

“I know that we're here because you and the team are concerned about me. I'm not behaving like you think I should as a recent widower. You're afraid that I'm too calm, and that one day – in the most inconvenient moment – I'll break and endanger the whole team. But that won't happen, Jack. Because I've had the last two and a half years to get used to my guilt, and get used to the fact that my wife was lost to me.” 

“But... “ 

“No hear me out. I'm very sad that Sha're is dead, but part of me is ... also relieved. I know that's a horrible thing to say, but I feel like that. She was such a strong, warm-hearted and intelligent woman, and because I became a part of her life, she's dead now. But the worst didn't happen when Teal'c shot her. It happened when she was taken by Apophis and made a host for Ammaunet. Now she's free from the Goa'uld and doesn't have to witness its cruelty anymore. I know that if I had been taken as a host I would have preferred to die rather than to continue to live like that.” 

Jack nodded. And because Daniel couldn't see that, Jack added quietly but very honestly, “Me too.” He didn't want to imagine a life where he was powerless to stop his body being violated on a daily basis, or his hands from killing people he loved. It was easy to say anything was better than being dead, but he was afraid in this case that wasn't right.

Daniel continued, “And you know from personal experience that I did my grief work when I returned the first time from Abydos. When you invited me to your home, I'm sure you didn't know that you signed up for listening to me talking for hours, days even, about Sha're and my life on Abydos. Ranting about the injustice, crying, and breaking one of your vases when I was so angry that I had no other outlet for my rage.” 

“Bah, that was an ugly vase anyway,” Jack said dismissively. Daniel was right, he had talked a lot during the first weeks, but to his astonishment, Jack had found it interesting to learn about Sha're, Ska'ara and Abydos from Daniel. 

“Perhaps.” Daniel turned in Jack's arms so that he could look him in the face. “What I want to say is that you were there when I needed you. That you already went through all the necessary steps with me. But nevertheless, I'm grateful that you invited me here. Thank you, Jack.” 

Jack swallowed. Wow, that was really a speech worthy of a linguist. Perhaps a bit too formal, a bit too rehearsed, as if Daniel had given it a lot of consideration. But one thing he had omitted. “What about Teal'c? Can you forgive him? Can you really continue to work with him?” 

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in Daniel's voice. “He did what he had to do.”

“Hell, Daniel! When did you have time to think this all through? You've been working the whole time!” 

This time Daniel hesitated. 

“What? Was this all scripted? Did you write it down and learn it by heart?” Was nothing of what Daniel had said really genuine? 

“No! Of course not!” 

“Then how can you be so calm, so matter-of-factly?”

“Would you believe me if I said 'It's complicated'?” Daniel asked. 

“Complicated is your default setting.” Jack put his hand on Daniel's cheek and hoped that the intimate gesture would convey his understanding and his trustworthiness. 

Daniel looked him in the eyes then sighed deeply. “Promise me, you won’t let McKenzie throw me in that padded cell again.” 

“I promise. I shouldn’t have allowed it the first time. It will never happen again. Even if you admit that you plan to overthrow the SGC and become the next system lord, I won't talk to McKenzie about it. Deal?” Jack caressed Daniel's chin with his thumb. 

“Okay. Deal.” Daniel closed his eyes, and for a few seconds he leaned into Jack's hand. He opened his eyes again and asked: “Did Sam tell you about my question if it’s possible to send a personal message through the hand device?” 

Jack nodded. “She did. She – and I – we think that's where your idea to search for the Harsesis and Keeb comes from. You think that it's Sha're's last wish which she somehow communicated to you.” 

“Yes.”

“No problem. I believe you. We know that mothers can do incredible things when the life of their children is in danger. And I think we all agree that this child has to be found. Preferably by us and not by the Goa'uld. And even if it's a trap set by Ammaunet, we'll keep that in mind if or when we find Keeb.” Jack gave a reassuring smile. “See? Not that complicated.”

“That's not all.” 

“Okay.” And because Daniel looked so lost, Jack bent forward and pressed his forehead against Daniel's. “I swear that I won't tell anyone about whatever else there is.”

Obviously, that was the right thing to do because Daniel interlocked his hands behind Jack's neck and said, “In those seconds when Ammaunet used the hand device, Sha're talked to me and told me to stay with the SGC, search for the child, and forgive Teal'c. It was like a very vivid daydream, like a hallucination, but it felt very real. I somehow lived through a week of my life within a few seconds. I made wrong decisions in that dream, and Sha're helped me to correct them, so that I didn't have to make them in real life.” 

“One of those 'my whole life flashed before my eyes’ moments? Lots of people report those experiences in near-death situations. And Ammaunet was killing you.” 

“With the small difference that this 'flash' wasn't about things that had already happened, but about things that could happen in a possible future. Perhaps Sha're tapped into my subconscious. I don't know. But when the pain stopped, when Teal’c shot her, it felt like something that had really happened. It was way more real than a mere dream. And that's why I seem to be so … calm about it. I know what I have to do. And that's staying in the SGC, working with my friends,” Daniel concluded and raised his head to look at Jack. 

“I can't say that I really understand what happened,” Jack answered. “But I believe you. I mean communicating via a Goa'uld hand-device, and living a week in a few seconds, that's not the weirdest thing that's happened to one of us.” He shrugged his shoulders. 

“Thank you.” Daniel smiled at Jack.

“Thank you for explaining... and for your trust in me.” When McKenzie was Daniel's biggest fear it couldn't have been easy for him to talk about it. 

Daniel smiled even broader until his noose crinkled, and Jack felt relief, and hope, and happiness running through his body. Like he was also connected via a hand-device with Daniel's mood and influenced by it. He shook his head. Now his craziness matched Daniel's. What a reassuring thought. 

“Why are you grinning?” Daniel asked.

“It's nothing.” And to forestall further questioning, Jack raised one eyebrow, and asked with a lopsided grin, “Why are your fingers caressing my neck?” 

Daniel seemed not in the least intimidated or shocked by his question because he immediately shot back, “Why is your thumb caressing my cheek?” 

Damn, the ball was in his court again. He could continue with the 'good friend' part, or... or he could show as much courage as Daniel had shown and tell the truth. “Because I like touching you.” Oops, it seemed his mouth was a bit quicker than his brain. But going with spontaneous decisions had always been Jack's forte. 

“Oh.” And then Jack got the biggest smile he had ever seen on Daniel's face. “Me too.” 

“Cool.” An absolute inadequate word for how giddy, and tingling, and full of anticipation he felt. 

Jack leaned a bit forward, Daniel did the same, and in the next moment their lips were touching. Daniel's were still a bit cold from the water, but his tongue and the inside of his mouth were warm and Jack plunged avidly into that heat. They were kissing, and Jack's fingers were running over Daniel's arms and Daniel was melting into his touch. Very relaxed and moaning softly. Yep, Hammond's plan had been a spectacular success, even if he could never tell the General why.

\---------------The End-------------

©Antares, July-August 2017


End file.
